1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a switch cabinet or enclosure with an air-conditioning unit that contains a cooling circuit system with an evaporator and a condenser, wherein the evaporator has an integral air circuit that is spatially connected to the interior of the switch cabinet and through which the air of the switch cabinet interior can be conveyed by a blower, and wherein the evaporator is connected to the remaining components of the cooling circuit by refrigerant lines.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Switch cabinets of this type of are known from German Patent References DE 44 13 130 and DE 196 41 552. In this case, an air-conditioning unit with an air-conditioner housing is used. All components of the cooling circuit are accommodated in the air-conditioner housing. In certain instances, for example, if a switch cabinet is arranged in office or laboratory rooms, the air-conditioning unit is subject to special requirements. First, the air-conditioning unit should generate very little noise. In addition, it is usually undesirable to release the heat generated by the air-conditioning unit into the surrounding room.
One object of this invention is to provide a switch cabinet or enclosure of the type described above but in which the impact on the surroundings due to emissions from the air-conditioning unit is reduced.
This objective is achieved with an evaporator and a dedicated blower integrated into an evaporator unit that is arranged on the switch cabinet. The condenser and a dedicated blower are integrated into a condenser unit. The condenser unit is arranged spatially separate from the evaporator unit and spatially separate from the switch cabinet.
Because the condenser unit is separate from the evaporator unit, the condenser can be independently positioned. It is possible to arrange the condenser unit outside of the room in which the switch cabinet is arranged. With this arrangement, the thermal energy drawn from the switch cabinet by the evaporator unit can be conveyed to the condenser via the refrigerant. The condenser releases the thermal energy into the surroundings distant from the switch cabinet. Because the thermal energy is conducted away the room in which the switch cabinet is located, no reheating can occur, and thus the air-conditioning unit has a high degree of efficiency. This invention also makes it possible to arrange the air-conditioned switch cabinet in rooms that have only inferior ventilation, if any ventilation.
This invention also reduces noise generated by the air-conditioning unit.
The evaporator unit may be in the form of a cabinet roof unit or a wall unit or may be otherwise positioned on or in the switch cabinet.
According to one preferred embodiment of this invention, the evaporator unit is connected to the condenser unit by one incoming and one outgoing refrigerant line, wherein the refrigerant lines bridge the free space between the evaporator unit and the condenser unit. Couplings that respectively comprise two coupling parts are installed in the two refrigerant lines, wherein each coupling part is connected to the end of a refrigerant line in a pressure-tight fashion, and wherein the two coupling parts of a coupling can be connected or separated by a rapid-action closure. The couplings make it possible to handle and position the evaporator unit separately from the condenser unit. With the rapid-action closures, the line connections can also be produced by unskilled personnel.
In order to allow the installation of refrigerant lines without special skills and special tools, the incoming and outgoing refrigerant lines can be in the form of flexible conduits.
In one embodiment of this invention, the evaporator unit has a housing that accommodates the evaporator and is positioned on the roof of the switch cabinet or in the switch cabinet. The housing contains a central air inlet opening through which the air of the switch cabinet interior can be conveyed into the housing. Air outlet openings through which the cooled air can be conveyed from the housing into the switch cabinet interior are arranged laterally of the air inlet opening. The air outlet openings have adjustable air flow control that makes it possible to vary the air flow direction and/or the quantity of air conveyed. The air flow control makes it possible to achieve a targeted cooling in the switch cabinet interior.
According to another embodiment of this invention, the evaporator unit contains a condensate collector and a dedicated condensate evaporating device.
In order to generate as little noise as possible near the evaporator unit, the evaporator unit has a housing that accommodates the evaporator and can be attached to the roof of the switch cabinet. The housing contains a central air inlet opening through which the air of the switch cabinet interior can be conveyed into the housing, wherein air outlet openings through which the cooled air can be conveyed from the housing into the switch cabinet interior are arranged laterally of the air inlet opening, and wherein the air outlet openings have adjustable air flow control means that make it possible to vary the air flow direction and/or the quantity of air being conveyed.
In order to prevent components of the cooling circuit from becoming damaged when the couplings are separated, this invention provides a monitoring device assigned to the compressor, the monitoring device determines the power consumption of the compressor either at certain intervals or continuously, and the monitoring device switches off the compressor when a preset fixed value is exceeded. The refrigerant circulation is interrupted when the couplings are separated. In this case, the power consumption of the compressor increases, but only up to the preset fixed value at which the compressor is switched off.
If the incoming and outgoing refrigerant lines with a distribution element for connecting two or more evaporator units to one condenser unit, it is possible to supply a cooling circuit containing several evaporators with only one condenser unit.